82a – Chance or Choice?
Think a minute…There was a man who owned the only hair salon in his little town. He cut and styled the hair of almost everybody, so his small business was very successful. Then one day a large modern hair salon moved to town right across the street from his little shop. This new, big salon advertised everywhere with signs and commercials that said: “$9 haircuts! Everything for ONLY $9!”
Soon almost all of the small shop’s customers began going to the new salon across the street for $9 haircuts. The little shop’s owner knew he could never afford to beat this big salon’s price of only $9. But then he thought of a way to turn things around and win his customers back. He put up a big sign in front of his small hair salon which read: “We FIX $9 haircuts!”
We all face challenges and tough times, but it is those of us who manage our difficulties positively and wisely who end up succeeding in life. It’s not luck that controls your life! It’s yourown choices that make you and your family happy, successful and peaceful! Remember, “Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.” No matter what happens, these people keep going, because sooner or later, “Tough people win over tough times.” So, “When the stormy sea is raging, it’s no time to jump ship.”
Difficult situations can actually make us a much better person—just like the opposing wind makes the tree grow stronger, deeper roots. As one guy said after he went through a hard and painful time: “I learned lessons I didn’t know I needed to learn.” To his benefit, he chose to have a humble, teachable heart willing to learn those lessons. Remember, the same heat that melts butter hardens clay. The difference is their response.
How do you respond? How do you handle the heat of problems, pressures, and pain in your life? No matter which way the ball bounces, it’s still your game—if you choose to stay in the game. Today, if you will ask Jesus to take charge of your heart and life, He can start working everything, including your difficulties and disappointments, together for your good and lasting happiness. Won’t you choose to start living His way every day? You’ve got nothing to lose and absolutely everything to gain. Just think a minute…
82b – Wounded Bull
Think a minute…One of the worst shooting massacres in America’s history took place on the campus of Virginia Tech University. A student named Cho Seung-Hui went on a shooting spree killing 32 people before committing suicide.
Cho was a South Korean who moved to America at age eight. As a child he was quiet and well-behaved. In school Cho was excellent at math and most of his other subjects. He was well liked by his teachers who told the other students that Cho was a good example to follow. He was seen as a smart boy and even quite popular with the girls.
Sadly, all this changed for Cho in high school where almost every day he was teased and tormented for being shy and speaking English differently. This constant shaming of Cho by the other students became so painful that finally he refused to speak around other people. Every day he was either alone with no friends or bullied by other kids.
Finally, Cho’s parents took him to a youth club hoping this might help him. Unfortunately, kids made fun of him there too. Furthermore, the adult leader of the group noticed that Cho might be developing some mental problems, so he advised Cho’s parents to take him to a doctor. But sadly, they did not do it. Cho’s aunt in Korea became increasingly concerned as she heard his parents frequently talk about his older sister but almost never even mention their son Cho.
After years of being rejected and bullied by other students, Cho became like a wounded, raging bull wanting to destroy everyone in his path. It’s a simple, tragic fact of life: “Hurt people, hurt people.” In other words, people who are hurting inside usually react by hurting other people around them. In fact, most of our anger in one way or another is caused by our emotional pain inside.
Maybe you’re still angry because of the ways you have been hurt or humiliated in your life. It may have happened years ago, but your emotional pain has not completely stopped. But the great news is if you will ask Jesus to come in to your heart and take control of your life, He can start healing your wounds. He will also give you His strong love to forgive those people who hurt you. It is then that you can finally be free to move forward and start fully experiencing God’s wonderful plan for your life. Just think a minute…
82c – Stick Out Your Tongue
Think a minute…Has your doctor asked you to stick out your tongue? Often that is one of the first things doctors examine in a patient, because sometimes they can know what is wrong with you simply by looking at your tongue.
Our tongue also gives away other things about us. For example, our accent and way of speaking shows what country or culture we come from, as well as the kind of family in which we were raised. But most importantly, our tongue shows what is inside our heart and mind. We usually talk about the things we enjoy and care about most—whether it’s money, family, friends, hobbies, sports, parties, gossip, politics, religion, or other things.
A wise man said: ”Don’t let your tongue cut your throat.” If that small, two-ounce piece of flesh in your mouth is not controlled, it can potentially destroy your relationships and life.
Most of the time we act well and control our tongue. We choose our words carefully so we can impress other people with our kind, polite manner and way of speaking. But then if somebody wrongs or hurts us, watch out! It’s then that we quickly react out of pride and anger to lash out and hurt them in return.
It is in those unexpected pressure times that what is really in our heart comes out in our words. In that moment, the real you comes shining through. Your reactions reveal your true feelings of anger, pride, prejudice, pain, or bitterness. It is then that we show what we really are—underneath the nice, controlled person we act like in front of others. It is our re-actions that show our real pride, insecurity, jealousy, selfish ambition, or greed inside.
Obviously, you cannot get clean water out of a dirty cup. “Clean words can only come from a pure heart.”They must consistently come from a clean source. Our problem is that we often are blind to how unclean our heart is inside.
The good news is Jesus can help us see clearly what we truly are. But then most importantly He also can start cleaning us from the inside out and give us the power to start changing our heart. Right now, won’t you ask Him to forgive you for your wrong way of living and start changing your heart with His love and truth? Only then can the words that come out of your mouth become truly pure, honest, and kind. Just think a minute…
82d – No Parking
Think a minute…On this journey of life, do you sometimes feel like pulling over and parking? You feel like you’ve done enough, worked enough, and learned enough. It’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride to the end. But “The problem with doing nothing is you never know when you’re finished.” When we pull over and park, we go nowhere and stop short of experiencing all that life has for us.
One parking place we might stop at is what we think are our weaknesses and lack of abilities. This is because we compare ourselves to others who have certain abilities we do not have. But we must realize that we have our own special strengths and abilities. You and I must learn to accept ourselves with our own physical appearance, personality, and talents. No one is completely disabled! We each have something very important that we can be and do in this world which no one else can. This is why others actually need you to make the most of your assets and abilities, so you add your contribution and help to their lives.
A second parking place that many of us stop at is our failures. Yet we all have failed, so join the club! Simply learn from it and be wiser next time. “We only truly fail when we stop trying.” It’s so simple, yet so true: “A quitter never wins and a winner never quits.”
The final place where many of us park in life is by our successes. In 1899, after the U.S. Patent Office had given over 600,000 patents, it made this statement: “Everything that can be invented has been invented.”They could not have been more wrong! Think of all the inventions since 1899: airplanes, radio, television, the computer, the Internet, the microchip, smart phones—just to name a few. And inventions continue to be made every single day! Just because you have achieved a little success in life does not mean that is all you can achieve. “Some people think they’re in the groove when they’re really in a rut.” You will never know all you could have done in life unless you keep going and growing.
For whatever reason, if you have given up and stopped reaching for more in your life, you can change that today. Right now, you can ask Jesus to forgive you for failing to live the way you know you should. Then ask Him to help you with His power so you can start fully living His way every day. It is only then that you can move forward to truly live His awesome plan for your life. Just think a minute…
82e – Open-Door Policy
Think a minute…This is a true story about a 19-year-old girl who rebelled against her parents and ran away from home. Soon she found out that life was not easy on her own. She could not find a job, and her friends grew tired of her living off of them so they kicked her out. She finally became so desperate that she started making money by working on the street as a prostitute.
Years passed. Her father died. Her mother grew older. All the while the daughter’s life grew even worse. But she still refused to write or go home to see her mother. One day the mother heard that her daughter had been seen in a certain part of town, so she went looking for her. The mother went to every cheap hotel asking to put a picture on their walls. It was a picture of herself, now an old, gray-haired mother. Beside her picture she wrote: “I still love you! Please come home!”
Months went by and nothing happened. Then one day the daughter, who was now extremely skinny and sick, could not believe her eyes when she saw her mother’s picture on the wall of that dirty cheap hotel! As she read her mother’s message to her, she began to cry.
That night she started walking the many miles back to her home. It was early in the morning when she finally arrived at her mother’s house and knocked on the door. To her surprise, the door was open! Afraid that someone had broken into the house, she ran inside and woke up her sleeping mother to tell her she had finally come home. Mother and daughter cried as they hugged each other. The daughter said: “I thought someone had broken the door open!” The mother shook her head and said: “My dear, since the day you left, that door has always been open!”
Never forget, it does not matter what wrong things we have done or how badly we have lived, our Heavenly Father’s door is always open for us to come home. Even though we have sinfully disobeyed Him and chosen not to live His way, the moment you decide to ask His forgiveness, Jesus will forgive and accept you just the way you are. That is when He can help you start a new life, daily living His right and happy way in a loving relationship with Him. Today He wants you to know He’s waiting…and His door is still open. Just think a minute…